Jon Fitness

A rather nice sheet of etched bits arrived in the post a few days ago. Good news..most of it looks ok. Bad news..I chose too thick a material (0.5mm) so some of ot will be a bit heavy to work with. One or two bits haven't etched properly but the mistakes are all mine. Excellent service from PPD though; from paying up to receiving the etch, 4 days! The missing brackets from the gantry are now ready to fit.. Now looking much more like an LMS gantry! The dolls are in preparation but I haven't photographed them yet! This is my take on an LMS corrugated arm. A bit of a cheat as theres none on the back but version 2 should be better (and thinner and nickel silver, not brass!) More soon. JF

Scale signal Supply are OK for GW signal bits. The 3D printed GW finials and lamp cases from Modelu are superb too. MSE Parts are OK but the arms are a little over scale and starting to look a bit old style now.

I think that's broadly how it will come out. Just had the go ahead from PPD so should be with me in about 5 days. Didn't see the wave though!

Looks superb as usual Steve. Those Midland signals always seem a bit strange with the fixed axle and bearing in the signal arm itself.. JF

Not yet! Have enough trouble keeping this one and the rolling stock thread anywhere near up to date

Greetings all!, Time for a quick catch up again. I had a major disaster with the first go on this LMS gantry as I got the measurements wrong as I built it ! This is the second attempt and is still in need of a lot of cleaning up and scraping. Strangely when I had the bits to make this etched, I forgot the little curved brackets from post to cross members so I'm in the process of getting those organised. Seen here posed on the startings of my garden layout... These are the brackets I'll be getting etched. No idea why I forgot them! More soon JF

Lovely work Steve, I do like a standard LMS tubular post bracket signal!

Ooh I think that's covered by Scale Signal Supply isn't it?. I think my next etches will be LMS corrugated arms, the later GW pressed steel blades and an improved version of the GW spec plates I've just done to remove the mistakes I made first time! JF

It was probably cost at the time plus I'm still feeling my way round Draftsight. Wasn't sure if the results were going to be any good!

So, where was I up to? Recent developments include getting a few GW bits etched, building an Australian signal and scratchbuilding a banner repeater. Here's the Australian one. I worked from photos on this one and a Stevens pattern arm fitted the bill. I've used an MSE arm and a BorgRail etched post. It's servo operated and LED lit and currently on its way to Auz. A GWR wooden post stop signal with a rather rusty sightboard. SSS arm, Borg rail post, Modelu finial and lamp. Servo operated and LED lit. Another externally illuminated BR(W) banner repeater, totally scratchbuilt this time And a very rusty BR(W) bracket from a photgraph of one surviving on private land at Barry. Mostly SSS parts! Here's some etched parts I've had done in an attempt to keep a good supply to hand. Also trying to "improve the breed" as it were. Not quite as succesful as I hoped but you know, learning curve and all that! The course at Missenden Abbey is slowly paying off. I'll do some LMS ones next! More soon, including an LMS gantry! JF

That looks annoyingly fantastic Brian. Think I'll throw away the Scorpio kit I'm building!!

Looking fantastic Dave! Think I might even have got the signals just about the right height too! JF

Those discs are just stunning Steve. Absolutely love them! JF

Can't beat a bit of natural light for pics! JF

Looks brilliant and loads better than the MSE offering. The whitemetal casting is a bit too fragile. JF

Superb. Nice to see an LMS corrugated arm. Very much on my "to etch" list now! JF

If you need any drawings I've got the LMS official drawing of the spectacle plate and blades. Cheers JF

Sorry I didn't get back earlier! Looks like a standard LMS corrugated arm assembly from the early 1930s before they switched to the later pressed steel spectacle plate. Nice find and probably quite rare now!

Certainly! As you suggest, put some pics up and we'll have a look at it. If I don't know, I'm sure someone else on here would.Cheers JF

Time for an update I think! Here are the latest signals I've been working on. An SR (Ex LSWR) bracket with Upper quadrant arms... and yet another LMS triple shunt signal and finally another rusty disused BR(W) signal. I havent started on the weathering yet but red oxide primer seems as good a starting point as anything! More soon JF

Looks fantastic Steve. Captures the real thing precisely. JF

Recently off the workbench, here is one of the two BR(NE) triple shunt signals. Next was a rather rusty BR(W) stop signal. (Sorry about the shaky phone pics!) More soon JF

Fantastic work Steve. It's going to be a very impressive signal. The fibres are nearly invisible and I needed to look quite closely to see them. The eyes are drawn to the main signal and not the fibres IMHO.

Here's another couple of upper quadrant 3 arm shunt signals almost ready for the paint shop. These are for a BR(NE) layout so although looking LMSish they have a couple of (very) slight differences to locate them. Both are LED lit and servo operated. More soon JF

Here is the completed SR Bracket. Just Managed to get a few pics before the clouds came over! And here is a quick video test! More soon JF